“This assessment is a window into our future – and it shows we have a lot of work to do. The draft report is the most thorough, science-based assessment of present and future climate-driven impacts facing America. Every city, town and state and federal agency in the country should review it, send comments to improve the final draft and use it to plan for the future.

“The draft assessment offers a perfect opportunity for President Obama at the outset of his second term. When a similar report was released in 2009, the Administration largely swept it under the rug. This time, the President should use it to kick-start a national conversation on climate change. This report will help us see clearly the challenges ahead. With the President’s help, we can navigate those obstacles toward a safer future built on smart planning and renewable energy.”